Abstract: This disclosure is related to systems and methods for temperature monitoring of electronics, such as a controller or processor within a data storage device. In one example, a controller may be configured to determine an operation to perform and determine a temperature of electronics associated with executing the operation. The controller may then delay execution of the operation when the temperature is greater than a threshold.

Abstract: Certain exemplary aspects of the present disclosure are directed towards apparatuses and methods which autonomously decontaminate parts. Parts to be cleaned are identified, and based on the identification of the part, a part specific cleaning program is initiated. During the cleaning, the part is manipulated about a gas supply in such a way that the drag force on the contamination particles attached to the part exceeds the contamination particles' surface adhesion force and accordingly is removed from the surface of the part. The removed contamination is then evacuated from the atmospheric environment near the part by a low pressure zone of a second gaseous material near the part.

Abstract: A device including a near field transducer (NFT); a write pole; at least one dielectric material positioned between the NFT and the write pole; and an adhesion layer positioned between the NFT and the at least one dielectric material.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, an apparatus includes a basedeck; a motor coupled to the basedeck and having a rotatable hub; and first, second, third, fourth, and fifth discs coupled to the hub. Three of the five discs are biased against the hub in a first direction and two of the five discs are biased against the hub in a second direction. In certain embodiments, a method includes biasing at least three discs against a hub in a first direction and biasing at least two discs against the hub in a second direction.

Abstract: Tool-free, quick-install rail-kits for installing equipment in rack systems. A telescoping rail body has an inner panel slidably fastened to an outer panel. A self-latching mechanism is disposed at opposite ends of the inner and outer panels. Each self-latching mechanism comprises a latching clip and a locking lever. The latching clip has a catch surface, and is pivotally fastened to the panel body and biased by a biasing member in a latched position. The latching clip is configured to pass through an aperture of a rack post and engage an outer surface of the post with the catch surface. The locking lever is positioned on an inward facing surface of each panel and configured to open inwardly to unlock the latching clip allowing the latching clip to pivot, and to close flush with the inward facing surface to lock the latching clip in the latched position.

Abstract: Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed toward a disc drive actuator assembly including an e-block, a plurality of bearings, and one or more heat transfer components. The heat transfer component(s) operates to conductively draw heat from the plurality of bearings through the e-block, and convectively dissipate the heat into an atmosphere in contact therewith. The heat transfer component(s) mitigates temperature rise of the bearings during operation of a disc drive, thereby mitigating bearing lubricant outgassing from within the bearings.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for positioning a transducer over a magnetic recording medium having a plurality of tracks. The method includes positioning the transducer over a first track using a voice coil motor (VCM) and a microactuator. The method further includes applying a feedforward voltage profile to the microactuator to position the transducer over a second track.

Abstract: The disclosure is related to systems and methods of On the Fly Formatting. Various parameters that influence areal density of hard disc regions can be changed on the fly based on storage capacity and reliability needs. Further adjustments can be made to the formatting of the region to fine tune achievable storage capacity and reliability values. In some cases, the formatting can include error correction code strength, gap widths between user data sectors and servo data sectors, other characteristics or parameters, or any combinations thereof.

Abstract: Devices having air bearing surfaces (ABS), the devices include a near field transducer (NFT) that includes a disc; a peg, the peg including gold (Au), silver (Ag), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), rhodium (Rh), iridium (Ir), or combinations thereof; and the peg having a front surface at the air bearing surface of the device, an opposing back surface, a top surface that extends from the front surface to the back surface, two side surfaces that extend from the front surface to the back surface and a bottom surface that extends from the front surface to the back surface; and a protective layer disposed on at least one surface of the peg, the protective layer comprising an oxide of a metal that has a higher oxidation tendency than that of the material of the peg.

Abstract: Systems and methods of digital automatic power control are presented. A preamplifier circuit may include a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuit to sample a power signal, such as a from a laser power monitor. The preamplifier may store the sample in an internal preamplifier memory. The sample may be utilized to update a current output of the preamplifier that affects the power signal. These systems and methods may be particularly useful for lasers and heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR), which may be utilized during a read mode or a write mode of a HAMR data storage device.

Abstract: A syndrome weight of failed decoding attempts is used to select parameters for future read retry operations. The following exemplary steps are performed until a decoding success or a predefined limited number of readings is reached: (i) reading a codeword using different read threshold voltages; (ii) mapping the readings to a corresponding likelihood value using a likelihood value assignment; and (iii) recording a syndrome weight for failed decoding attempts of the readings using the different read threshold voltages.

Abstract: Provided herein is an apparatus including a substrate and a magnetic recording layer over the substrate. In addition, a thermochromic layer is over the substrate, wherein the thermochromic layer includes a first optical absorbance at a first temperature and a second optical absorbance at a second temperature.

Abstract: A data writer can have at least a write pole separated from a return pole by a non-magnetic lamination. The non-magnetic lamination may consist of first, second, and third non-magnetic materials that are each different and configured to provide a physical protrusion on an air bearing surface of less than 4 Angstroms.

Abstract: Higher-level redundancy information computation enables a Solid-State Disk (SSD) controller to provide higher-level redundancy capabilities to maintain reliable operation in a context of failures of non-volatile (e.g. flash) memory elements during operation of an SSD implemented in part by the controller. For example, a first computation is an XOR, and a second computation is a weighted-sum. Various amounts of storage are dedicated to storing the higher-level redundancy information, such as amounts equivalent to an integer multiple of flash die (e.g. one, two, or three entire flash die), and such as amounts equivalent to a fraction of a single flash die (e.g. one-half or one-fourth of a single flash die).

Abstract: A data storage system may have at least one data writer that incorporates a write pole that continuously extends from an air bearing surface. The write pole can be separated from the air bearing surface by a side shield that consists of a first magnetic layer positioned on the air bearing surface and a guard layer separated from the air bearing surface by the first magnetic layer. The guard layer may be configured with a different magnetic saturation flux density than the first magnetic layer.

Abstract: A method including depositing a plasmonic material at a temperature of at least 150° C.; and forming at least a peg of a near field transducer (NFT) from the deposited plasmonic material.

Abstract: A ferromagnetically coupled magnetic recording medium having a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, and a ferromagnetic coupling layer to ferromagnetically couple the first ferromagnetic layer to the second ferromagnetic layer is used as stable magnetic media with high MrT in high density recording hard drives. The first ferromagnetic layer is the stabilization layer and the second ferromagnetic layer is the main recording layer. The ferromagnetic coupling layer comprises a conductive material having a thickness which produces ferromagnetic coupling between said first ferromagnetic layer and said second ferromagnetic layer via the RKKY interaction.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for in situ authentication and diagnostic repair of a data storage device in a multi-device user environment. In accordance with some embodiments, the method includes detecting an error condition associated with a selected data storage device in the multi-device user environment. A first level of user authentication is established by providing a challenge value generated by the selected data storage device to a remote device over a network associated with the selected data storage device. A first diagnostic tool stored on the selected data storage device is executed responsive to receipt of the first level of user authentication. A second level of user authentication is established by providing a second challenge value generated by the selected data storage device to the remote device. An output from the first diagnostic tool is used to execute a second diagnostic tool stored on the selected data storage device.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for accelerated testing of a multi-device storage system. In some embodiments, the storage system includes a server adapted to communicate with a user device, and a plurality of data storage devices adapted to store and retrieve data objects from the user device. The server maintains a map structure that describes the data objects stored on the data storage devices. A fault injection module is adapted to induce simulated failures of selected data storage devices in relation to a time-varying failure rate distribution associated with the data storage devices that indicates an observed failure rate over a first time interval. The simulated failures are induced by the fault injection module over a second time interval shorter than the first time interval. The server operates to modify the map structure responsive to the simulated failures.

Abstract: A testing environment may have at least one controller connected to at least first and second testing slots positioned in a housing. The first testing slot can be configured with a first thermal range capability and the second testing slot may be configured with a second thermal range capability that differs from the first thermal range capability.